US body condemns lynching of Muslim man

The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Wednesday strongly condemned the lynching of a Muslim man in Jharkhand and called on the government to take concrete actions to prevent this kind of violence and intimidation.

Tabrez Ansari, 24, was allegedly tied to a pole and thrashedwith sticks by a mob at Dhatkidih village in Jharkhand’s SeraikelaKharsawandistrict last Wednesday on the suspicion of theft. The newly-married man waspurportedly seen in a video being forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” and”Jai Hanuman”. He succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.

   

“We condemn in the strongest terms this brutal murder,in which the perpetrators reportedly forced Ansari to say Hindu chants as theybeat him for hours,” USCIRF chairman Tony Perkins said.”We call on the Indian government to takeconcrete actions that will prevent this kind of violence and intimidation by athorough investigation of Ansari’s murder as well as the local police’shandling of the case,” he said, adding, “Lack of accountability will onlyencourage those who believe they can target religious minorities withimpunity.” 

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